:Things are extremely bad here right now, :about as bad as they can get.

I don't wish to sound condescending, but as Bono would say; "its just a moment, this time will pass..." Things get better and worse, the shifts of time and life, what can I say. I really do hope things get better for you, and as pathetic and corny as this sounds, I will think of you in my meditative sessions, which I think of as prayers.

AS for death, what can I say? The opposite of Life and therefore incomprehensive to us. Tis the 'undiscovered country' that haunts the imagination and cripples the hope of life, but it shouldn't. Life and death are things that can't be deemed as good or bad,or right or wrong. They happen. Marcus Aurelius once said that 'life is opinion', if that is the case, then death is the opposite; you can't really do death justice for it happens and no matter what you do it will happen to you. Death is neither good or bad, not even when it happens to people who apparently do not deserve it. It all depends on you and your faith; you gotta have faith.

Personally, my faith only takes me so far. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" isnt my favourite song of all time without a reason; it contains the summary of my faith;

"I believe in kingdom come, then all the colours will be bleed into one...
bleed into one...
and yes I'm still running.
You broke the bonds and you loosened the chains, carried the cross of my shame;
oh my shame!
You know I believe it...
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for..."

Its not enough to have faith, for faith needs a doubt, you gotta have passion for what you believe in and enjoy the moment, but even thats not enough. I was born and raised Catholic, but eventually rejected Catholicism as a fascist and out-dated doctrine, but retained what I thought was the core of the religion; Jesus and his teachings. This was eventually 'melded' with some Hindu and Yoga teachings to evolve into something I like to call "Spirituality". So really, I don't have a religion. I try to be a reasonable human being and I hope not to upset the balance of karma by not fouling it up with bastardly deals (doesn't always work, though, as my friends will tell you). Thats really all I can do, I'm a stoic when it comes to death and all that, for I can't say I KNOW or BELIEVE what happens. I am open to the possibility of reincarnation, and yet, I am also open to the possibility of my convergence into some energy that will float around somewhere. I do not believe in me floating up to the heavens and meeting St. Peter and then being judged... I dont even think of God as 'our father', I think of it all as energy.

Death is neither good or bad, it happens. Life concerns me more, though.

:Things are extremely bad here right now, :about as bad as they can get.

I don't wish to sound condescending, but as Bono would say; "its just a moment, this time will pass..." Things get better and worse, the shifts of time and life, what can I say. I really do hope things get better for you, and as pathetic and corny as this sounds, I will think of you in my meditative sessions, which I think of as prayers.

AS for death, what can I say? The opposite of Life and therefore incomprehensive to us. Tis the 'undiscovered country' that haunts the imagination and cripples the hope of life, but it shouldn't. Life and death are things that can't be deemed as good or bad,or right or wrong. They happen. Marcus Aurelius once said that 'life is opinion', if that is the case, then death is the opposite; you can't really do death justice for it happens and no matter what you do it will happen to you. Death is neither good or bad, not even when it happens to people who apparently do not deserve it. It all depends on you and your faith; you gotta have faith.

Personally, my faith only takes me so far. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" isnt my favourite song of all time without a reason; it contains the summary of my faith;

"I believe in kingdom come, then all the colours will be bleed into one...
bleed into one...
and yes I'm still running.
You broke the bonds and you loosened the chains, carried the cross of my shame;
oh my shame!
You know I believe it...
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for..."

Its not enough to have faith, for faith needs a doubt, you gotta have passion for what you believe in and enjoy the moment, but even thats not enough. I was born and raised Catholic, but eventually rejected Catholicism as a fascist and out-dated doctrine, but retained what I thought was the core of the religion; Jesus and his teachings. This was eventually 'melded' with some Hindu and Yoga teachings to evolve into something I like to call "Spirituality". So really, I don't have a religion. I try to be a reasonable human being and I hope not to upset the balance of karma by not fouling it up with bastardly deals (doesn't always work, though, as my friends will tell you). Thats really all I can do, I'm a stoic when it comes to death and all that, for I can't say I KNOW or BELIEVE what happens. I am open to the possibility of reincarnation, and yet, I am also open to the possibility of my convergence into some energy that will float around somewhere. I do not believe in me floating up to the heavens and meeting St. Peter and then being judged... I dont even think of God as 'our father', I think of it all as energy.

Death is neither good or bad, it happens. Life concerns me more, though.

Originally posted by Anthony:
I was born and raised Catholic, but eventually rejected Catholicism as a fascist and out-dated doctrine, but retained what I thought was the core of the religion; Jesus and his teachings. This was eventually 'melded' with some Hindu and Yoga teachings to evolve into something I like to call "Spirituality". So really, I don't have a religion. I try to be a reasonable human being and I hope not to upset the balance of karma by not fouling it up with bastardly deals

I am open to the possibility of reincarnation, and yet, I am also open to the possibility of my convergence into some energy that will float around somewhere. I do not believe in me floating up to the heavens and meeting St. Peter and then being judged... I dont even think of God as 'our father', I think of it all as energy.

Welcome to interference Ant. Your first few posting have been interesting.

*O2 sits back and waits for Free Your Mind regulars (foray, SweetOn, trash, 80's, martha, and the rest of ya)*

------------------"See, the rock star gets his way! Thank you very much. This feels very Elvis. Thank you."

It is, and don't get me wrong, just becuase you're catholic it doesn't mean I'm going to be opposed everything you say. Its wonderful that you praise GOD and not the church, but it has been known that people do tend to confuse the two. I think of the church as fascist for its views on homosexuals, and I think it outdated for its views on contraception.

Death is a disease like any other disease and can be cured like every other disease. The fact that man has continually failed in trying to cure death has made him accept it as his necessary destiny in life. Scientists now believe that in around 150 years it will be possible to keep people alive forever through cell rejuvanation. But you know what, to each their own and if people like the idea of dying, then rot in good health.